The present invention concerns a method to detect the roughness of vessels, of the type wherein an inner contour of the vessel wall is acquired using an imaging modality.
The invention also concerns an apparatus to implement such a method.
Methods to detect vessel narrowings (stenoses) are necessary, for example for therapy for arteriosclerosis. In particular, a method is necessary with which the roughness of the inner vessel wall narrowed by arteriosclerosis can be gauged assessed. The roughness of the inner vessel walls also increases with progressing atherosclerosis.
Conventionally, the roughness of the arteriosclerotic deposit has been characterized with terms such as “complex” or “simple”, as this is specified, for example, in chapter 1, “The Basics”, page 2-5 of the book “Biostatistics” by G. R. Normal and D. L. Streiner, published by B. C. Decker, Hamilton, London, 2000. Such a dichotomous classification is unsuitable as a foundation for statistical evaluations. Viewed statistically, the generated data remain at a nominal level and are therefore only of limited use for studies. When a number of levels, for example “less”, “moderate”, “severe” are used for the characterization of the roughness of the arteriosclerotic deposits, the classification at best achieves an ordinal level. This is not sufficient, however, for statistical evaluations and studies that should form the basis for a therapy decision.